SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PACKAGING A SINGLE-SERVE PORTION OF HONEYCOMB
Packaging of a single-serve portion of honeycomb is disclosed, using a protective support structure configured to protect the single-server portion of honeycomb from impact from at least two different directions by creating a frame having at least two sides. The protective support structure includes one or both of a food-grade plastic-based material and/or a food-grade paper-based material. The protective support structure is water-resistant and/or oil-resistant.
This disclosure relates to providing packaging for a single-serve portion of honeycomb. Honeycomb may interchangeably be referred to as “comb honey.”
BACKGROUNDPackaging food items in bulk is known. Packaging food items in single-serve portions is known. Individually wrapping smaller amounts of food is known.
SUMMARYSales and consumption of honeycomb may increase if a conveniently-sized portion is individually packaged and/or wrapped. Honeycomb, potentially combined with one or more supplemental ingredients, may provide health-related and functional benefits to a consumer.
One aspect of the disclosure relates to a food package comprising a single-serve portion of honeycomb, a protective support structure, and/or other components. The phrase “single-serve” may be used interchangeably with the phrase “single serving”. Honeycomb may be naturally produced by honey bees, and include a mass of hexagonal (prismatic) wax cells. In some implementations, a single-serve portion of honeycomb may have a shape of a cylinder, a rectangular prism, or a triangular prism. In some implementations, a single-serve-portion of honeycomb may be an amount that falls within at least one of the following three ranges: (i) a volume of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is between 0.5 and 6 cubic inches, (ii) a number of calories of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is between 50 and 500 calories, and (iii) a weight of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is between 20 and 200 grams. In some implementations, the protective support structure may be configured to protect the single-serve portion of honeycomb from impact. In some implementations, the protective support structure may be configured to protect the single-serve portion of honeycomb from impact from at least two directions by creating a frame having at least two sides. In some implementations, the protective support structure may include one or more of a plastic-based material, a paper-based material, and/or other materials. In some implementations, the protective support structure may be water-resistant and/or oil-resistant. In some implementations, a plastic-based material may include one or more of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and/or other polyolefins. In some implementations, a plastic-based material may include cellophane and/or other viscose-based materials. The single-serve portion of honeycomb may be contained within and protected from impact by the protective support structure.
One aspect of the disclosure relates to a method for packaging a single-serve portion of honeycomb. The method may comprise obtaining the single-serve portion of honeycomb and containing the single-serve portion of honeycomb in a protective support structure to protect the single-serve portion of honeycomb from impact.
These and other features and characteristics of the present technology, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
In some implementations, a protective support structure may be created by using one or more of the following manufacturing techniques: thermoforming, injection molding, blow molding, rotational molding, heat-shrinking, and/or other manufacturing techniques. By way of non-limiting example, thermoforming is a process in which a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable forming temperature, formed to a specific shape in a mold (or onto a mold), and trimmed to create a usable product. By way of non-limiting example, heat-shrinking may use a thermoplastic resin wrapping film which can be shrunk onto and/or around (food) products.
In some implementations, a portion of honeycomb may be protected by a wrapper that includes one or more of a plastic-based material, a paper-based material, and/or other materials. In some implementations, the wrapper may be water-resistant and/or oil-resistant. In some implementations, the wrapper may be created by using one or more of the following manufacturing techniques: thermoforming, injection molding, blow molding, rotational molding, heat-shrinking, and/or other manufacturing techniques. By way of non-limiting example,
In some implementations, a portion of honeycomb may be chilled and/or frozen prior to being packaged.
In some implementations, a food package such as, by way of non-limiting example, food package 42 may further include one or more supplemental ingredients. The single-serve portion of honeycomb may be combined in a combination with the one or more supplemental ingredients (e.g., dietary supplements). In some implementations, a combination may be created through infusion, injection, topical spraying, rolling, and/or other techniques. In some implementations, the one or more supplemental ingredients may include one or more of a flavor ingredient (e.g., ginger), a spice ingredient, an ingredient that includes vitamin (e.g., vitamin C), a mineral ingredient (e.g., zinc), and/or a medicinal ingredient (e.g., folic acid). In some implementations, consumption of honeycomb (e.g., a combination of honeycomb and one or more supplemental ingredients) may provide health-related and/or functional benefits. In some implementations, a particular supplemental ingredient may have multiple health-related and/or functional benefits. For example, such consumption may provide or aid in cholesterol management and/or liver function. For example, such consumption may be beneficial due to antibacterial and/or antifungal properties. For example, such consumption may have anti-inflammatory benefits. In some implementations, such consumption may treat peptic ulcers. In some implementations, such consumption may provide or aid in weight management, treatment for pollen allergies, and/or treatment for a sore throat. In some implementations, such consumption may reduce the risk of developing diabetes. In some implementations, such consumption may promote restorative sleep. In some implementations, combinations of multiple health-related benefits may be provide to a consumer.
By way of non-limiting example, energy may be increased through one or more of pineapple, ginger, matcha, caffeine, vitamin B12, and/or other supplemental ingredients. By way of non-limiting example, immunity may be enhanced through one or more of orange, lemon, ginger, echinacea, cayenne, reishi mushroom, and/or other supplemental ingredients. By way of non-limiting example, joint pain and/or skin irritations may be improved through one or more of pineapple, chamomile, aloe, turmeric, and/or other supplemental ingredients. By way of non-limiting example, digestive issues may be alleviated through one or more of aloe, ginger, apple cider vinegar, and/or other supplemental ingredients. By way of non-limiting example, liver functionality may be improved through one or more of grapefruit, beet, aloe, burdock root, cayenne, milk thistle, and/or other supplemental ingredients.
At an operation 702, a single-serve portion of honeycomb is obtained. The single-serve portion of honeycomb may have a shape of a cylinder, a rectangular prism, or a triangular prism. Such operations may be performed by a portion of honeycomb, such as portion of honeycomb 40x in
At an operation 704, the single-serve portion of honeycomb is contained in a protective support structure to protect the single-serve portion of honeycomb from impact from at least two directions. The protective support structure includes one or both of a food-grade plastic-based material and/or a food-grade paper-based material. The protective support structure is water-resistant and/or oil-resistant. Such operations may be performed by a protective support structure, such as protective support structure 40 in
Although the present technology has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be the most practical and preferred implementations, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that the technology is not limited to the disclosed implementations, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood that the present technology contemplates that, to the extent possible, one or more features of any implementation can be combined with one or more features of any other implementation.
Claims
1. A food package, comprising:
- a single-serve portion of honeycomb, wherein the single-serve portion of honeycomb has a shape of a cylinder, a rectangular prism, or a triangular prism, wherein an amount of honeycomb in the single-serve portion of honeycomb falls within at least one of the following three ranges: (i) a volume of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is between 0.5 and 6 cubic inches, (ii) a number of calories of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is between 50 and 500 calories, and (iii) a weight of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is between 20 and 200 grams;
- a protective support structure configured to protect the single-serve portion of honeycomb from impact from at least two directions by creating a frame having at least two sides, wherein the protective support structure includes one or both of a food-grade plastic-based material and/or a food-grade paper-based material, wherein the protective support structure is water-resistant and/or oil-resistant,
- wherein the single-serve portion of honeycomb is contained within and protected from impact by the protective support structure.
2. The food package of claim 1, further comprising a wrapper wrapped around the single-serve portion and the protective support structure such that both are contained within the wrapper, wherein the wrapper includes one or more of a second food-grade plastic-based material, a second food-grade paper-based material, and/or a food-grade aluminum-based material, wherein the wrapper is water-resistant and/or oil-resistant.
3. The food package of claim 1, further comprising one or more supplemental ingredients combined in a combination with the single-serve portion of honeycomb, wherein the one or more supplemental ingredients include one or more of a flavor ingredient, a spice ingredient, an ingredient that includes vitamin, a mineral ingredient, and/or a medicinal ingredient.
4. The food package of claim 3, wherein the one or more supplemental ingredients include the medicinal ingredient, and wherein the combination of the single-serve portion of honeycomb and the medicinal ingredient is configured to provide health-related benefits to a user who consumes the combination.
5. The food package of claim 1, wherein the weight of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is 100 grams or less.
6. The food package of claim 1, wherein the weight of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is 4 ounces or less.
7. The food package of claim 1, wherein the volume of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is less than 2 cubic inches.
8. The food package of claim 1, wherein the protective support structure is configured to protect the single-serve portion of honeycomb from impact from at least three directions by creating a frame having at least three sides, wherein at least two of the directions are perpendicular.
9. The food package of claim 1, wherein the protective support structure is configured to protect the single-serve portion of honeycomb from impact from at least four directions by creating a frame having at least four sides.
10. The food package of claim 1, wherein the protective support structure includes polyethylene.
11. The food package of claim 1, wherein the protective support structure is configured to be resealable.
12. The food package of claim 1, wherein the protective support structure forms a clamshell having a hinge.
13. The food package of claim 2, wherein the wrapper is transparent.
14. The food package of claim 2, wherein the wrapper is closed by one or both of heat-shrinking and/or over-wrapping.
15. The food package of claim 2, wherein the wrapper is closed by an adhesive.
16. The food package of claim 2, wherein nutritional information is printed on at least one of the wrapper and the protective support structure.
17. A method for packaging a single-serve portion of honeycomb, the method comprising:
- obtaining the single-serve portion of honeycomb, wherein the single-serve portion of honeycomb has a shape of a cylinder, a rectangular prism, or a triangular prism, wherein an amount of honeycomb in the single-serve portion of honeycomb falls within at least one of the following three ranges: (i) a volume of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is between 0.5 and 6 cubic inches, (ii) a number of calories of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is between 50 and 500 calories, and (iii) a weight of the single-serve portion of honeycomb is between 20 and 200 grams;
- containing the single-serve portion of honeycomb in a protective support structure to protect the single-serve portion of honeycomb from impact from at least two directions, wherein the protective support structure creates a frame having at least two sides, wherein the protective support structure includes one or both of a food-grade plastic-based material and/or a food-grade paper-based material, wherein the protective support structure is water-resistant and/or oil-resistant.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
- wrapping, by a wrapper, around the single-serve portion and the protective support structure such that both are contained within the wrapper, wherein the wrapper includes one or more of a second food-grade plastic-based material, a second food-grade paper-based material, and/or a food-grade aluminum-based material, wherein the wrapper is water-resistant and/or oil-resistant.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
- combining one or more supplemental ingredients in a combination with the single-serve portion of honeycomb, wherein the one or more supplemental ingredients include one or more of a flavor ingredient, a spice ingredient, an ingredient that includes vitamin, a mineral ingredient, and/or a medicinal ingredient.
20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:
- provide health-related benefits to a user who consumes the single-serve portion of honeycomb.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 24, 2018
Publication Date: Jan 30, 2020
Inventor: Douglas Paul Raggio (Cardiff, CA)
Application Number: 16/044,281